


The Child

by Deimos_Ovid



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Child Soldiers, Minor Original Character(s), They are for building plot, Violence, not for anything else, story idea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:35:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28170105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deimos_Ovid/pseuds/Deimos_Ovid
Summary: A child slowly walked down a path worn into a barren desert land, searching for food. Their deep sunken cheeks, twig-like wrists, and a much smaller body for their age all revealed their deep hunger. Their bare feet were cracked and bleeding from their pilgrimage and their dirty skin, which lost its original color, began to turn red under the intense heat. Neglected hair hanging over half of their face, offering a small relief from the cruel sun. However, this small child is about to have a chance encounter with a man that will change their life forever. They were about to meet a man named Ging Freeces.All my stories are up for grabs, notify me if you decide to do something with my idea. I look forward to reading anything you come up with. I have an epic idea for how this story will go...
Comments: 11
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

A child slowly walked down a path worn into a barren desert land, searching for food. Their deep sunken cheeks, twig-like wrists, and a much smaller body for their age all revealed their deep hunger. Their bare feet were cracked and bleeding from their pilgrimage and their dirty skin, which lost its original color, began to turn red under the intense heat. Neglected hair hanging over half of their face, offering a small relief from the cruel sun. However, this small child is about to have a chance encounter with a man that will change their life forever. They were about to meet a man named Ging Freeces.

-

Ging is having a bad day. He left Meteor City feeling disappointed that information on an ancient site did not yield anything of worth. As he trekked further down the worn path, he noticed a figure collapsed on the ground. Ging thought to himself, _how strange,_ and hurried his pace to the small object.

When he reached the object, Ging realized it is a child.

“Hey, kid! Are you alright? What are you doing all the way out here?” The Hunter asked as he crouched down to survey the child’s situation. _He is malnourished, severely at that._

“Kid, I need you to wake up. Please, just for a little bit. Come on! Wake up!” Ging gently shook the child, upon hearing a small groan the man uncapped his water container and held the rim to the boy’s lips.

“Drink.” He commanded, “Come on, you fainted for two reasons. One, heat stroke. Two, hunger. I promise I’ll help you. I myself have a son, he is probably older than you though. Come on, I need you to drink some of this water. You’ll feel better.”

The child seemed to have understood and parted his lips further, Ging gently poured some of the water into his mouth. A groan of relief escaped the boy and Ging laughed.

“What are you doing all the way out here kid? Where are your parents?” The Hunter asked after the child refused to accept any more water.

He was met with silence, Ging wanted to press for an answer; however, the health of the child was exacerbated under the sweltering heat. _I need to get him out of here, but it would be dangerous for a child to recover in Meteor City. Isn’t there a nearby tribe that could take him in? Someone in that trash dump was talking about them._ Ging thought to himself and rationalized that the child’s best chance was to find this tribe. He then focused on channeling Zetsu, hoping that at least one person in this supposed tribe knew about Nen.

It seems that his luck has not run dry quite yet, because Ging sensed the aura of another person about 2 miles away. He gathered the child into his arms and then focused his strength into his legs before running at an incredible speed.

In a matter of minutes, Ging and the child arrived at the settlement.

“Please, I need a doctor. There is a sick child in need of medical attention.” Ging pleaded to the tribespeople he saw. One of them ran to get the elders, while others wearily stared at the situation before them.

“Leave,” an old voice commanded, “Leave at once. We no longer welcome outsiders.”

“Please, this child is sick. He needs medical attention. He is malnourished and suffering from heat stroke. I will leave if you help him. He is just a child!”

The elders remained silent, before discussing in their native tongue amongst each other.

“ _Pli aga, cu ni savas ci tiun infanon?_ ” A woman spoke up, interrupting the elder’s deliberation. “ _Gi estas en niaj ostoj helpi tiujn en bezono. Kiel ni povus nomi nin “Atruk” se ni lasas morti senkulpan infanon?_ ”

Many other tribesmen nod their heads at the woman’s statement. Ging could only look helplessly at them, hoping that they would decide to save the boy.

Persuaded by the woman’s passion, the elders nodded their head and gestured for their tribe’s doctor to help the outsiders. At the sight of a man with a medical bag rushing forward, Ging spoke a fervent litany of platitudes. In his mind, flashes of Gon appeared as he looked down at the sick child. The thought of Gon becoming like this boy made Ging feel sick and grateful that he left him with Mito. 

Yeah, Ging was having a bad day, but the boy was having a worse one. Somehow, their encounter made each other’s day better. _Gon, I hope you grow up strong. Then you can help others, like this child. He needs more help than what I can provide him with. He’ll be better off if I leave him here to be looked after by this tribe._

How wrong Ging was...


	2. Chapter 2

The Atruk Tribe were nomadic scholars and warriors that traveled everywhere they could both for knowledge and for work. However, the tribe suffered from raids whilst their warriors were away on business. This left the nomads feeling resentful and often hateful towards outsiders, despite their hatred, the Atruk still relied on outsiders for work.

Now, the aura that Ging had sensed came from the tribe’s doctor. A man whose convictions about saving and healing people deeply affected his Nen. Kuracisto, the doctor, had the Nen type of an Enhancer. He could enhance and accelerate a person’s healing rate. The doctor could essentially regenerate the injured and lost tissue of the malnourished boy. However, the drawback is that the boy would remain in this healthy condition, the normal body of a 6-year-old, until he recovered from his injuries and hunger in the normal recovery time. In roughly two months the boy would continue to grow; however, Kuracisto theorized that suffering from starvation and malnourishment at such a young age would continue to affect his development.

Ging breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the instantaneous recovery of the boy. No longer did the child have sunken cheeks and twig-like wrists. Although he was still very small, Ging disregarded that because his overall health had been restored. The doctor and the hunter moved the boy into the medic tent. The elders followed them, and one asked what happened.

“Thank you. Thank you all. I was traveling when I came across this boy in the desert. If…if it is not too much to ask, then could this child remain with you? My life is not well suited for such a young child. He needs time to recover and people to care for him. I cannot provide that.”

The three elders murmured amongst once more. The oldest of the three spoke up, “This is amendable; however, we were planning on traveling once more at the end of the month.”

“If I may ask, where will you be planning on going?”

“There is work for us in the Lukso Province.”

“Hmm…I think the Kurta Clan is currently in that area too. Will there be a conflict between the two tribes?”

“We will make a treaty with them. It will be in both our interests to remain temporary allies.” The elder replied after a moment of thinking.

“Then I see no problem leaving this child under your tribe’s care. Thank you for saving the child and deciding to take him in. I am confident that you will be better caretakers than I ever could be. With this settled, I’d like to bid the boy farewell and continue on my travels.”

The elders inclined their heads and Ging turned back to the small child lying on the medic cot. _Well kid, it looks like this is where we will part._ The boy released a small groan and his eyes fluttered open. He felt strange, like he was no longer weak.

“Ah, you’re awake.” The Hunter remarked as he took a seat next to the cot, “I am glad. That means I can say this to you when you’re conscious. My name is Ging Freeces. Kid, I don’t know where your family is or how you ended up like this, but I found a tribe that is willing to take you in. Do you understand what that means? You won’t have to starve ever again. You will be looked after and cared for by people who will love you. I have to go now, but I just wanted to let you know that you no longer have to suffer. These people will help you better than I ever could.”

With that said, Ging rose from his seat and gently patted the head of the child. Murmuring a _may-we-meet-again_. The child nodded their head in acknowledgement and closed their eyes once more to properly rest.

The boy continued to recover, and the tribe migrated to the Lukso Province at the end of the month like they promised. Kuracisto decided to foster the child himself for two reasons: one, to monitor their recovery and two, he had grown to care for the boy. The doctor would happily recall how his relationship started with the child.

_Kuracisto heaved a sigh at the sight of the unconscious child, wondering how the boy could degrade to such a state. The boy had been unconscious for the rest of the afternoon after Ging left. The doctor wanted to have the boy eat some food when he woke up again; however, Kuracisto had no means of knowing for how much longer the child would remain asleep._

_About to go to bed himself, the doctor stopped when he heard the cot shift. Glancing back, Kuracisto saw the boy sitting up._

_“Ah, you are awake. Good, that’s good. I have some food for you. Do you feel up to eat? Just a bite?”_

_“Mhm.”_

_“Alright,” The doctor smiled at the wordless affirmation, and proceeded to grab the bowl of_ Hiyashi _. “Do you need help eating this?”_

_“…mhm.” The child replied after eyeing the chopsticks Kuracisto held. The doctor quietly laughed to himself, catching the boy’s cautious look at the chopsticks._

_As the doctor fed the boy, he continued talking with him. “My name is Kuracisto, may I ask what yours is?”_

_However, the boy remained mute._

_“Do you mind if I name you then?” The boy seemed unfazed by the question and simply held open his mouth for the next portion of food. “Alright, hmmm…how about Malsata? If you don’t like it, then you can change it when you're older.”_

_“Ah!” The boy exclaimed._

_“I guess that settles it. It is very nice to meet you Malsata. I will be looking after you fro the time being. You may call me Kuracisto.”_

The doctor smiled at the memory. It only pained him that his old age has finally caught up to him after raising Malsata for the past year. Kuracisto thought back to how much the boy has grown. How they developed a system of understanding each other. Malsata still refused to talk, despite all the coaxing from himself, the scholars, and the other children of the tribe.

Kuracisto made quick work of leaving behind a guide to Malsata’s communication skills:

_It pains me greatly to leave behind such a wonderful child; however, it is my time. Therefore, all I can do is help ease Malsata’s transition. To the one who will now care for this child; Malsata remains selectively mute for reasons beyond my understanding. However, he consistently communicates in a pattern._   
_“Mhm” is for understanding and affirmation  
“Ah” is for excitement and happy confirmation  
“Eh” is for anger or something that needs immediate attention  
“Uh” is for confusion—not responding is also for confusion  
“No” for disagreement and negative response_

_Please be patient with the boy, he has suffered much too early in his life. Thank you, Kuracisto._

The doctor passed away in his sleep that night. Malsata then moved in with one of the warriors of the Atruk tribe. Besteca, the man was gruff and communicated similarly to Malsata. The Atruk tribe had established a treaty with the Kurta clan; however, many tribesmen resented the terms laid out in the agreement.

The Atruk tribe agreed to not enter the Kurta’s laid out territory, and the Kurta promised the same. They agreed to pay a fee for entering the claimed lands of the Kurta clan, who occupied the area first. The Kurta clan also made the Atruk promise not to expand any further than the land alotted to them. It was the fee and the inability to expand their settlement that caused such resentment; however, the Atruk were not compelled to start a war with the other clan because the tribe just needed to finish their contracted work with the outsiders and then they could move on.

This fragile alliance was broken when the Kurta clan attacked an Atruk child that wandered too far into the Kurta’s territory. Enraged by this act of violence against a child and how unfair the treaty was, the Atruk tribe declared war.

The elders decreed that every child must begin their training as a warrior, Malsata had been one of those children forced to become a soldier. He was 8-years-old at the time, and would train for a year before being drafted to the front lines with Besteca.


	3. Chapter 3

Malsata was hungry. It was not an unknown feeling to him, but an uncomfortable one that he wished to be rid of. The Atruk training camp provided only one meal a day between morning and evening drills and patrols. The boy wanted a proper meal; however, the majority of the food supplies were being sent to the frontline soldiers. Rationalizing that if he completed his training faster, then he could get to the frontlines faster and eat well again.

He trained with wooden swords during drills, Besteca, whenever he returned from the frontlines for treatment of his wounds, would roughly teach Malsata how to hold and fight with the weapons. After all, Besteca used swords himself and could not be more proud of how fast his charge was learning the skill. The warriors of the Atruk started calling him “Soldateto,” and thus Malsata was no more. Malsata existed in the past with Kuracisto,

Morning practices were the worst in Soldateto’s opinion, because the elders of the gerontocracy would supervise or instruct a lesson. Today was the latter, and the newest elder gave a lesson on hand-to-hand combat with one of the teenagers of the camp.

“Children,” The old man crooned, “You must have hatred in your hearts and a desire to see your enemy defeated. That is the only way you will survive. That is the only way we will win against those damn Kurtas!”

The elder drilled in his point as he mercilessly fought against the ill-prepared teenager. He punched or kicked the teen as he spoke, with practiced ease defended himself against the younger’s weak fighting attempts. It was brutal and savage and prefaced the other children’s lesson on hand-to-hand combat. Soldateto continued to mutely observe everything.

Soldateto studied and mimicked all the actions that he witnessed the elder use in the fight, and effortlessly defeated his opponent, a ten-year-old boy (one year older than him). The elders saw how fast Soldateto had taken down his partner, and decided that he should be trained separately from the others.

Besteca poorly explained what an honor that was, “Boy, when you meet with the elders you must bow. Before training and after training. It is an honor to be personally trained by them. Got it?”

“Mhm.”

Training with the elders was different than group training and training with Besteca. The elders were harsh and unforgiving in their relentless combat. The only positive about being mercilessly beaten was that the elders increased his ration. Soldateto was no longer hungry, and that was more than enough for the child.

As per his orders, the boy bowed in greeting to his elders, and then proceeded to stretch, knowing that he would regret it later if he did not. The newest elder, a man who replaced the vacant seat of the previous elder, from what Soldateto gathered, was the elder who brokered the treaty between the two groups. One morning he was gone, and no one questioned it.

However, this new elder was a warrior as opposed to a scholar like his peers. He was born and raised in combat, which made him the best option when it came to leading this war and instructing others. Soldateto learned much under his heavy hands and harsh orders.

“Child,” the elder said, “You are not Atruk-born; however, you have an Atruk warrior’s spirit in you. That is why I believe you are mute, it is for stealth. That is why you are so skilled in combat, it is for becoming a warrior, it is for our campaign. Although you are not at the frontlines yet with our other warriors, I have deemed it necessary that you eat like one. You, child, have proven your worth and I shall see to it that you are well-prepared for when you must go to the front.”

Soldateto finished his year of training, and as per Atruk custom, he shaved his hair high and tight to signify that he has become a warrior. Besteca had gifted him with two real swords and together the two fought at the frontlines.

The Kurta clan were similar to the Atruk tribe in many ways, they were scholars and warriors and they were skilled in combat.

One night, while Besteca lied on a medic cot asked Soldateto, whom turned eleven at some point during the war,

“Boy, why do you fight so viciously? You are not a natural-born Atruk, yet you fight like one.”

The child slowly pointed to the food supply before focusing on stoking the fire, and Besteca let out a loud laugh before violently coughing. The man had severely wounded his chest, a sword pierced his lungs and before he died, Besteca wanted to know if his child wanted to continue fighting for a tribe that was not his own.

Wheezing for breath, the warrior continued, “Soldateto, I am going to die. When I do, I want you to…to leave this place. Leave…you can find food elsewhere. Tomorrow…tomorrow, leave.”

Soldateto nodded and when tomorrow came, so did death. Besteca died from his injuries during the night and oddly enough, no Kurta soldier attacked. Atruk soldiers investigated and found that every single Kurta was dead, missing their eyes. The child found a message written on one of ruins, and these words another soldier read to him will be something that the child reminisces over.

_"We'll accept anything you leave here, but don't ever take anything away from us."_

As he promised Besteca, the boy left the Atruk, left behind Soldateto, and traveled looking for something even he did not know. When he was twelve, the child sensed something powerful coming from a little diner in Zaban City. He quietly stood behind the people in front of him.

“Are there any empty seats in back?” the group’s leader questioned.

“May I take your order?” the chef replied.

“I’d like an illuminating steak set lunch for three.”

“For three, eh?” the chef gravely repeated, “How should I prepare it?”

“Grilled with low heat and roasted carefully until it’s well done.” The leader of the group aptly replied. The child watched the scene in confusion; however, he sensed the power emanating from somewhere in this building and decided quietly following the group would be his chance to find the source.

“All right, have your seats.” The chef told them.

The group entered a room in the back and the child stood mutely in the hallway, unsure of how to proceed. He wanted to enter that room; however, he did not know what to do or say. The group leader declared his goodbye and his well wishes and a cheerful “thank-you” replied.

The man left the room and immediately bumped into the child,

“Oh! I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there. Are you also here for the Hunter’s Exam?” The child nodded his head, unsure if that was the right thing to do; however, the man smiled and said, “There’s a group already in there, so don’t be shy. There’s a boy about your age there too.”

The he opened the door for the child, and he quickly entered. The other occupants of the room immediate fixed their attention on the boy.

“Hey! I’m Gon! Are you here to take the Hunter’s Exam too?”

However, the child did not acknowledge the other boy’s polite greeting. He stared at the proffered hand, a sign he wanted to shake hands. Before Kurapika and Leorio could lecture the small boy on his manners, the room started moving. The child dropped into a fighting stance, that went unnoticed by the trio, as they were asking Gon what type of Hunter he wanted to be. Before long, the elevator room _dinged_ , and the doors opened.

“I think we arrived.” The blond boy stated.

“We’ll finish this later.” The taller boy grumbled.

After they exited the elevator, a green… _thing_ gave the child a badge that had a number he couldn’t pronounce on it. The thing sensed his confusion and helped to boy pin it to his white long-sleeved shirt. Then he set off to find the source of the presence he sensed earlier. The trio get distracted by another participant.

He skillfully worked his way through the crowd until he found the source. A tall man with flaming hair and light skin. He wore an outfit that confused the boy, but complimented his muscular physique. The star and tear drop markings on his face did not draw the boy’s attention, rather it was the look in his amber eyes and his stance. His eyes revealed amusement and his body language revealed his confidence.

Hisoka sensed someone staring intently at him; glancing around his eyes landed on a small boy. His black hair hanged over his black eyes, a long white shirt and black shorts dressed him. The clothes obviously belonged to someone much bigger than him; however, none of that matter to the magician. Amused by the boy’s gaze, Hisoka decided to pull a little prank on the child. He decided to release a small amount of his aura. The effect surrounding them was immediate, many candidates broke into a cold sweat, some passed out, and others had a visceral reaction. However, the child breathes a sigh of relief, relishing in the sensation.

“Hmm? Child, come closer, if you can that is.” Hisoka commanded, amusement laced in his voice.

Cautiously, the child stepped forward, unaffected by Hisoka’s _ren_ barrier. Soon the child was an arm’s length away from Hisoka.

“How magical!” Hisoka said as he bent down to meet the child’s eyes, “You haven’t awoken your nodes, yet you’re able to overcome my _ren_. You remind me of a rival of mine.”

The child simply studied Hisoka and his movements, occasionally meeting his eyes, but never while he was talking. Hisoka noted that his gaze was lower. Just when Hisoka was about to straighten himself up, the child raised both arms and waited.

“Hmm?” Hisoka hummed lightly, “You want to be picked up? Alright.”

The child once more sighed in relief as he rested against Hisoka. Their moment of content was interrupted by the bump of an armored shoulder hitting the magician. Both intently stared at the man, the _victim_. With a flick of his wrist, Hisoka cleanly cut off the man’s arms using playing cards. The victim’s screams drew everyone’s attention to him and the child.

“My, how unusual.” Hisoka calmly expressed, “Seems this man’s arms have disappeared. Now you see them, now you don’t!”

The child smiled at the scene before him. The man’s power was overwhelming, encapsulating, and the boy has never felt so…so _safe_. Hisoka continued his performance by addressing the victim,

“You should be more careful, and do apologize if you bump into someone. Especially if they’re holding a child.”

After a few more moments of waiting, an alarm rang throughout the room. A wall was lifted to reveal a man dressed in a suit.

“Thank you for waiting,” he began speaking, but the child could not make out what he was saying, “Now, we have come to the end of the exam registration. And so, the Hunter Exam begins now!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so begins the plot


	4. Chapter 4

“Let me remind you again,” the examiner continued talking, “if you are not lucky or strong enough, taking the Hunter Exam could lead to serious injuries on your part, and it could even cost you your lives. For those who are taking the test in spite of all that, please come with me.”

The child knew that the man was talking; however, he could not hear or make sense of what he was saying. So, he focused his gaze onto Hisoka and studied his reaction. Something the suit-man said intrigued the magician. The boy rationalized then that he should also be intrigued.

“Well, then. All 405 candidates have decided to take the first test.” With that the mustached man turned around and started walking funnily. The child observed that he fully extended both arms and legs. Unsure of what was happening the child tapped Hisoka’s shoulder.

“Hmm? Oh, right. We are to follow that man to the next phase of the exam.” Hisoka explained to the boy, “Do you want to walk with the rest of us? Maybe Gittarackur will hold you if you don’t want to.” The magician teased.

The child pointed to the ground and Hisoka complied. Together they walked, trailing after the examiner. As the pace steadily increased, Hisoka noticed that the child, despite his hunger-pang frame and short stature. _Ah, a ripe fruit in the making~_.

Two-hours of a steady running pace and the child had yet to slow down or request help. Hisoka also noted he had yet to say anything, too. The shouting taking place behind them, caught Hisoka’s attention. Two other kids, one on a skate and another with a fishing pole, were racing each other.

“Child, do you have a name?” Hisoka posed the question as he turned his attention forward.

“No.”

“Oh, what to do about that? Gittarackur, do you know any good names for a child?”

The pin-head did not reply; however, he did glance at the boy running between them.

“I know ! What if we called you Illu—"

“Tollushi.” Gittarackur interrupted Hisoka with a name and a pointed look.

“Tollushi, hmm? Alright.” Hisoka smiled to himself at his success, “Tollushi, why don’t you go run with those other kids behind us?”

Able to understand Hisoka’s meaning, Tollushi slowed his pace and ran next to the boy with white hair. The boy with a fishing pole (which now carried a brief case) re-introduced himself to Tollushi, and Killua introduced himself. Unable to communicate his new name, the child just nodded. The trio ran for two more hours, which has been about 60 kilometers since the starting point.

As the ran up the long, seemingly un-ending staircase Killua stated, “Hey, do you want to bet who here will reach the finishing line first?”

“Sure, loser buys dinner!” Gon agreed and Tollushi nodded.

“Ready, go!” Gon and Killua signaled and the three of them raced up the stairs.

Truthfully, the slow pace was boring Tollushi and he wanted to run with Hisoka; however, the man asked him to run the other boys his age. It was a relief when Killua suggested they race and the greatest incentive for Gon to suggest food. Tollushi’s feet barely touched the ground anymore as he charged up the steps. The duo he left behind were shouting their surprise, and failed to match Tollushi’s new speed.

However, the child did not rush to the exit of the tunnel instead, kept pace with Hisoka once more.

“Tollushi, where are your new… _friends_?”

Rather than answering verbal like Hisoka was hoping for, Tollushi held up one index finger for a few seconds and then pointed to his right. Gon and Killua were rushing up the steps and nearly surpassed Tollushi, who then increased his pace to reach the finish line first. To his surprise, he tied with the duo.

The moustache man admitted that he saw the trio exit the tunnel at the same time, and the three agreed to buy each other’s dinner. Next, Hisoka and Gittarackur crossed the threshold along with the rest of the other applicants. Tollushi immediately made their way to Hisoka’s side, raising his arms. Hisoka instead pointed to Gittarackur and Tollushi repeated the gesture. Gittarackur complied and held Tollushi as they awaited the rest of the applicants to arrive.

Tollushi felt _safe_ again, and struggled to keep his eyes open as the warmth of Gittarackur and Hisoka’s presence consumed him. Tiredness won out, and Tollushi slumped against Gittarackur’s shoulder. For the first time in a long time, Tollushi did not dream of war. Hisoka laughed uncontrollably at Gittarackur’s situation and the pin-head sighed as it could not be helped. He would carry Tollushi to the next phase or until he woke up.

“The Numere Wetlands, popularly known as the Swindler’s Swamp.” Mr. Satotz monologed as part one of the First Phase came to an end, “This is the path you have to take to get to the Second Phase. There are many rare animals here that you can’t find elsewhere. Many of them prey on humans for flesh by playing tricks on them. Such creatures are resourceful and rapacious. So everyone, be careful and follow me closely. If you get tricked, you will die.”

Everyone’s attention turned to the closing of the tunnel’s gate and the scream of an unlucky applicant who could not make it in time. Mr. Satotz continued speaking after the interruption quieted down, “These wetland creatures, will use all sorts of tricks to catch their prey. In doing so, it becomes an ecosystem where they get their prey through deceit. That’s why it’s known as the Swindler’s Swamp. So be careful not to be tricked and follow me closely.”

Another man’s voice calls out from the group to not believe Mr. Satoz’s words; however, Gittarackur tunes them out as they observe the child asleep in their arms. They had black hair that was fair in quality, and obviously had not been trimmed in a while. Perhaps, Gittarackur will amend that at some point during their travels. (He will.) Just as a deception tactic is underway, Hisoka ends it by throwing cards at both men. _Finally, we can move on to the next phase_ , Gittarackur thought.

The marathon continued into the wetlands and Gittarackur grew bored as they approached the second phase. The screams of others were getting annoying. He wondered how Kil was faring against the wetland’s creatures. Pushing the thought aside he once more focused on the child he held. His clothes were ill-suited, gifted to him by another. Gittarackur could repair that as well, so the sleeves don’t reach past his fingertips. _Mother would go into hysterics if she saw one of us wear clothes that don’t properly fit_ , the assassin in disguise thought.

Further up ahead, Gittarackur sensed the presences of two other hunters. He then pulled out a radio and told the magician, “Hisoka. You should get back here. We’re almost at the Second Phase Venue.”

“Okay. I’ll be right there.” Hisoka radioed back.

After a few more minutes running, Gittarackur arrived at the meeting point for the Second Phase. Tollushi woke up with a soft sigh when the assassin stopped running. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, before looking around. _This isn’t where I fell asleep_ , the boy thought before realizing he was still being carried.

“Ah!” Tollushi cried out in surprise. He then started tapping Gittarackur’s shoulder to be put down. Gittarackur, an older brother who has carried his younger siblings, knew what the repeated tapping meant and set down the boy. He ruffled his hair, and Tollushi bowed his head out of gratitude and happiness over the fond gesture. Unconsciously, the child’s hands touched the place where Gittarackur patted.

The two shared a glance with one another before sensing Hisoka’s arrival. The magician carried something over his shoulder, before recklessly dropping the unconscious man against a tree. Tollushi hurried over to greet Hisoka, and together the two awaited the beginning of the

Second Phase with Gittarackur watching from a distance so not to draw any more attention.

The venue gates opened, and a woman and giant man greeted them all as their examiners. They introduced themselves as Gourmet Hunters, much to the dismay of the other applicants. After the laughter settled down, they informed the candidates that the required ingredient is pork and that they could use the facilities and utensils provided for them.

Tollushi does not have a sense of taste. To have a sense of taste means that he has had a steady rate of food of a consistent quality to be picky over. The child grew up starving and malnourished, and thus lacks the ability to differentiate poor quality from high quality. When he and Hisoka caught their pig, they had mimicked everyone’s style of roasting and serving of pork. They only attempted once and resign themselves to watch the others try and fail.

Tollushi quietly ate his pork in the shade with Hisoka, Gittarackur joined them when he noticed everyone’s focus was on passing.

“Tell me, Tollushi,” Hisoka spoke up, “Where did you live before coming here?”

“…” Tollushi struggled to answer Hisoka, and decided to write in the dirt the word that was drilled into his head. Too bad he was illiterate and childishly scrawled what he had seen plastered everywhere in the tribe:

 _AT_ _яU_ _ʞ_.

The atmosphere grew tense as the assassin and magician read what Tollushi attempted to write. Hisoka grew excited, while Gittarackur grew upset. _The tribe that used child soldiers to fight an old man’s war_ , both thought. After this revelation, the trio waited for the Second Phase to end, Hisoka readied a card to kill the examiner, Menchi. However, Chairman Netero intervened and the Hunter applicants all traveled to Split-in-Half Mountain for Dream Eggs.

To be suspended in air by the updraft was a wonderful sensation, after successfully obtaining an egg, Tollushi continued to mess around with the updraft until the Chairman signaled it was time to move to the Third Phase venue.

“Let me introduce myself to the 43-candidate gathered here. I am the Chairman of the Selection Committee, for this year’s Hunter Exam, Isaac Netero.”

Tollushi noted that the green thing from the starting point introduced himself as Beans, the secretary to the Chairman. The elder explained that he wanted to make his appearance during the final phase; however, he decided to introduce himself since he was already there. Also, that he decided to stick around for the remainder of the trip, since it is a rare occurrence for him to be a part of the action.

Hisoka, Gittarackur, and Tollushi shared a meal and then roomed together in the airship. Hisoka made a castle of cards and Tollushi slept next to him. Gittarackur finally had the chance to remove his _Nen_ pins. The magician observed the resemblance more closely now that he had the original face to compare the child’s too.

“Illumi, did you have a child with some woman?” Hisoka teased.

Illumi made no reply and observed the child resting soundly near Hisoka.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, just to clarify a few things:
> 
> 1\. The Kurta Clan massacre did not take place 5 years prior to the story line. It happened a year. Kurapika was traveling during that time frame where the war took place and did not know about it until later.
> 
> 2\. This is a mashup of manga and anime. I do what I want. I want to include boat scene to Zevil Island like in the manga, so we'll see how that turns out. 
> 
> 3\. I am getting rid of Pokkle. The child will be taking his place for the sake of simplicity.
> 
> 4\. Hold out hope for the child being able to learn and grow, I got an idea. 
> 
> 5\. Is anyone getting my subtle messages? Ah, I am hinting at many things and I can't wait to reveal what is real. 
> 
> 6\. The child isn't deaf, but hard-of-hearing. It's noise-induced-hearing-loss caused from the war. I might expand on that later for the drama
> 
> 7\. Gon & Co. will learn what Hisoka and Illumi call Tollushi at some point, just not now. Timing is everything if you want to inflict the most damage.


	5. Chapter 5

Tollushi woke up to the chime and immediately tensed and looked around. Hisoka and Gittarackur looked up from their game of cards to observe the child soldier. He relaxed after scanning the room for danger and finding nothing, and the adults resumed their game. The announcement signified their rapid approach to the third phase’s venue.

They all gathered on the roof of the building. Beans explained that to pass the third phase, they must reach the bottom of Trick Tower alive. The secretary explained that they had the time limit of 72 hours. With everything explained, they air ship left and all the applicants tried to find a way to enter the tower.

The boy got separated from Hisoka and Gittarackur and while trying to make his way back to them, Tollushi triggered a trapdoor. He fell for a long time, and when he reached the bottom Tollushi landed in a room with weapons along the walls.

“Number 407,” a voice spoke, “Please wear the wristband you see on the stand in front of you. You must open the circlet and close it around your wrist. Next, choose your weapon, for your trial is to defeat the prisoners in the next rooms to pass the Third Phase. You may chose several weapons; however, you may not come back to this room for more weapons. Choose wisely, you unlucky boy…”

Tollushi looked for the swords decorating one of the room’s walls. He found two swords, but they were skinny blades and lacked thumb guards. However, they were the only blades there that were of equal size. Taking them down, Tollushi then proceeded to the room’s door and waited for it to open.

The door slowly opened and revealed a large group of armed men and women. Tollushi, sighing, walked into the room and the moment the door closed the restraints fell off. While Tollushi battled all the people in the room, he thought back to what one of the elders once said to him.

_“Boy, I want you to focus on the blades you hold. Concentrate on the power you feel emanating from yourself and channel it into your weapons. This is a test of sorts, it is something not many can do and those who can are lauded as humans with super strength in our Tribe. Kuracisto was the only scholar to ever accomplish using this…ability for something outside of strength.”_

_The boy focused intently on his blades, but nothing happened. He did not understand. Although the child was conscious of his power it made no sense to him to use it on his blades._

_The old warrior sighed, “Ah, well. That is to be expected then. I wonder…Boy, concentrate your strength in your arms instead.”_

_Upon doing so, the elder sensed and observed the aura radiating off of his arms._ I guess he could only awaken the nodes in his arms since he is still a child, _the elder thought. The boy realized the change that had just occurred and with a swing of his blade, the targets lying far ahead of him were cut down._

In the present moment, Tollushi mercilessly cut down all the people who posed a threat to him. He wanted to meet up with Hisoka and Gittarackur faster, so he channeled his strength into his arms and got to work. To be honest, Tollushi did not mind all the fighting, in fact, he did not even mind the war. Tollushi did not care, so long as he was not hungry anymore. And now that he found someone, people, he could feel safe with it was all the incentive Tollushi needed to continue with this battle.

When he made it to a different room, the child started to wonder if he could manipulate his strength into his legs and not just his arms. Testing out his idea, Tollushi found that he could and with this newly found speed, he cleared the next set of rooms much faster.

After hours of fighting and clearing many different rooms, the child made it to the exit. The door opened and a voice spoke,

“Second place, Number 407! Eight hours and twelve minutes.”

Hisoka’s amusement and excitement grew at the announcement of the child. He saw the bloodied and chipped katanas he held. He also saw the fresh blood dripping off of his body while the dried blood stained his clothes and matted his hair. _Oh~ the temptation of this unripened fruit. It is a pity I cannot pluck you just yet_ ♠, Hisoka thought to himself while trying to contain his arousal.

Tollushi made his way to Hisoka, he propped his blades against the wall and sat next to the magician. Curling his knees to his chest, Tollushi closed his eyes and tried to sleep. He relaxed in Hisoka’s presence. After a few minutes he fell asleep knowing that he was safe.

Several more hours passed and one of the doors opened to reveal Gittarackur on the other side.

“Third place, Number 301, Gittarackur! Twelve hours and two minutes.” The speaker announced.

The disguised assassin laughed to himself and looked towards Hisoka, “I figured that you’ve already reached the finishing line.”

Looking past Hisoka, Gittarackur was surprised to see a bloody Tollushi, sleeping. Hisoka smiled and said to his rival,

“Are you surprised to see Tollushi here, Gittarackur?”

Before he could answer, the ninja rushed into the room and caused a ruckus so loud that Tollushi startled awake. He reached for his blades, ready to kill the source of the loud noise. Only to stop upon seeing it was the loud bald man. Tollushi also saw that Gittarackur had arrived and immediately went over to the man. The child and Gittarackur stared at each other before the boy raised his arms in askance. The pin-head gave a small sigh both he complied and held the boy. _Children_ , Illumi thought. Together the two of them sat, Tollushi resumed sleeping this time in Gittarackur’s lap.

As time grew on, a door opened and revealed a food stand. Unsure of why the food was separated in such a manner, Tollushi helped himself to the trays of food. No one in the room chastised him, only watched as the child ate his fill off of the trays on the stand. All silently thought that the blood-covered boy must be very hungry, and it wasn’t there place to tell him to stop when there was plenty of food.

The 72-hour time limit slowly came to an end and everyone who passed, 24 candidates in total, exited Trick Tower. Gittarackur carried the sleeping Tollushi outside; however, the moment the fresh air and sunlight hit him, the child woke up. Temporarily blinded by the brightness, Tollushi’s sight adjusted and he tapped Gittarackur’s shoulder to be set down. A man with weird hair and glasses congratulated them.

“Now, you only need to take the Fourth and Final Phases. The Fourth Phase will be held in Zevil Island,” He gestured behind him, “Over there. Please cooperate. For the next phase, we will need you to draw lots.”

Murmurs broke out among the participants, all were wondering why they needed to draw lots. The examiner happily explained,

“It’s to decide who will hunt and who will be hunted. There are 24 number cards in this box. In other words, these numbers represent all the current candidates. Now, I need you to come here and draw your numbered cards in the order you escaped from the tower. The first place, please.”

Hisoka stepped forward, deftly drawing his card. Then Gittarackur pushed Tollushi forward to do the same. After everyone had drawn their lots, the examiner spoke,

“Are we done? Then, please peel the stickers off your number cards.”

Tollushi continued staring at his blank card, until Hisoka removed the sticker for him. The magician laughed at the number on the card: 407. _What strange luck the child has_ , Hisoka mused.

“They are your targets,” The examiner explained, “The numbers you just picked have all been recorded in this box. Therefore, you can do anything you want with your own badges. What you need to do is take the number badges off your targets. There are no rules on how you get the number badges. Do whatever you like. You can even kill your targets and take the number badge off the corpse.”

The atmosphere around the contestants grew tense, many of them hid their badges and eyed the others’ to catch a glimpse of their. The only ones who made no move to hide their badges were those confident in their skills or unsure of why they had to hide it.

“Listen carefully!” The man continued, “Your target’s number badge is worth three points. Your own number badges are worth three points each as well. Extra number badges are worth one point each. In order to advance to the Final Phase, you have to earn at least six points. Collecting six-points worth of number badges while you’re on Zevil Island is how you pass the Fourth Phase.”

With that said, the Hunter applicants all boarded a boat that will ferry them to Zevil Island. A lady, the guide, congratulated and introduced herself to the group. However, she was met with a less than rowdy crowd. Only Gittarackur, Hisoka, Tollushi, Gon, and Killua displayed their badges openly. The two-hour trip meant nothing to those who had waited for days in the Trick Tower; however, fatigue and worry began to encumber many.

“We have arrived at Zevil Island,” the guide began, “Now, starting with the candidates who took the least time to pass the Third Phase, please get off the boat in order. You’ll get off the boat two minutes after the candidate before you got off. You will be staying here for the entire week. During this time, you have to collect six-points worth of number badges each and return to this place. We’ll now start with the first candidate!”

Tollushi made to leave with Hisoka; however, Gittarackur prevented him with a raised hand.

After two minutes, the guide called for the next person, “The second candidate may start.” The disguised assassin lowered his arm, and Tollushi ran after Hisoka.

When Hisoka and Tollushi met up, the older of the two instructed the child to bathe in the river nearby. Cleansed of blood, Tollushi sat in the shade next to Hisoka. Days went by and the pair amused themselves playing cards or hunting for game to eat. One evening, Hisoka sensed the bloodlust emanating from another man.

After a brief fight of Hisoka evading the man’s attacks, and Tollushi dodging the slice to the tree’s trunk, the pair was once again reunited with Gittarackur. Tollushi sat on the stump while Hisoka sat on the trunk.

“Sorry, I let him get away.” The pin-head explained as he approached the two.

“Liar.” Hisoka mused, “I’m sure this guy begged you to fulfill his dying wish.”

“I had to, he begged for it. He was going to die anyway.”

“He didn’t deserve your sympathy.”

“Aren’t you the same as me? You defeated him, but left without finishing him.”

“I don’t just fight anyone.” Hisoka explained, “Insignificant people aren’t worth my time. I don’t kill people that can be useful or whose premature death would be a waste. Where is his badge?”

“I have it here with me. That’s six points for me already. You can have the badges I don’t need.”

Hisoka and Gittarackur discussed who the badge originally belonged to, while Tollushi stared at the bushes. However, his attention refocused on Gittarackur, who was removing his _Nen_ pins.

“Much better.” He sighed, and Tollushi stared intently at the change of appearance. The adults looked to see the child’s reaction, hoping to see a new expression on the impassive face. Tollushi simply raised his arms in askance to be held and both men sighed in disappointment. _How dull_ , Hisoka complained inwardly.

Illumi dug a hole for himself and Tollushi, informing Hisoka that he needed to take a nap before the exam ends. Tollushi was more than willing to nap with Illumi until the deadline. Hisoka simply amused himself by playing with the badge as the pair buried themselves. Four days later the pair would resurface.


	6. Chapter 6

Hisoka returned to the starting point, having found that Gittarackur and Tollushi were already there. The boy made his way to Hisoka and pointed at the vacant spot where his badge used to be.

“Uh?” Tollushi spoke. Confusion shaded his tone, where was the thing that had the design “44” on it? It had been with Hisoka since the boy met him, and now it was missing.

“Hmm?” Hisoka hummed lightly, “Oh, I lost my badge to an unripe fruit. Don’t worry, I have all my points.”

A lady from the Hunter’s Association announced that they would begin checking the badges of everyone present.

Hisoka revealed four badges, his target badge, worth 3 points, and three other 1-point badges. The loud lady noted that Tollushi still had his badge, meaning he had his 6 points. She moved on to the others, and when she was about to call an end to the phase, three more applicants showed up.

They were the group of people Tollushi met in the tunnel run. Hisoka gave of a wave of pleasure at the sight of the boy in green. The child made a face at the sight, wondering what happened between the two while he and Gittarackur were sleeping. The answer became evident when Gon presented the badge that had Hisoka’s number on it.

“These are the nine candidates who have passed the Fourth Phase!” The loud lady announced.

The nine of them were gathered back onto the floating ship, much to Tollushi’s chagrin. After the group got settled, an announcement was made from a person Tollushi could not find. He hated this flying ship, it spoke with no person.

“Attention, all candidates,” the voice cheered, “The Chairman wishes to interview you. When you hear your number, please come to the reception room on the second floor for the interview. We’ll start from Number 44, Mr. Hisoka.”

Tollushi was currently resting in Hisoka’s arms when the announcement was made. Refusing to leave the magician’s side, he trailed after Hisoka. However, he remained outside the interview room when Hisoka motioned for him to wait outside.

“Please take a seat.” The Chairman said.

Hisoka silently observed the room before replying, “Don’t tell me that this is the Final Phase.”

“Well, it’s not completely unrelated. I just want to ask you a few questions as a reference.”

Hisoka sat down, curiosity and anticipation fueled him to comply.

“First,” the Chairman began, “Why do you want to become a Hunter?”

“I don’t want to become a Hunter that much.”

“Why is that?”

“With the Hunter’s license, it’ll be much more convenient.”

“Give an example.” The elder politely demanded.

“For example…if I kill, I won’t be prosecuted.”

“I see. Moving on to the next question. Out of the other eight candidates, which one do you keep your eyes on the most?”

“Number 99 and 407. 405 also caught my attention, but I keep my eyes on Number 99 and 407. I hope to fight them someday.” Hisoka laughed darkly to himself, imagining their future battle.

“One last question, out of the eight candidates, which one would you least like to fight?”

“That would be Number 405. Though Number 99 is a close second. But I don’t want to fight Number 405 yet. For now, I’ll have to say 405.”

“I see.” The Chairman nodded sagely.

“By the way, the one I would like to fight the most would be you, Chairman.”

“Thank you, you can leave now.” The elder replied, not looking up from his notes.

Hisoka left the interview feeling disappointed, but Tollushi caught his attention by gesturing for the deck of cards. The magician had been teaching the boy how to build a house of cards. Tollushi had steady hands and was quick to master stacking the cards. They quickly started racing each other in building houses.

After a while, the voice called out Tollushi’s badge number, not that he knew, and Hisoka sighed. He collected his cards, which Tollushi was not happy about, and carried him to the interview room when the boy refused to stand up. The child did not understand that it was time for his interview with the Chairman.

“Please take a seat,” the Chairman instructed the pair, “Now, Number 407, we have a problem. You did not compete in the pre-exam for the Hunter Application, therefore we have no information about you and why you want to become a Hunter. Mr. Hisoka, would you mind filling it out for him?”

Hisoka smiled to himself as he filled out the form. Amused by how the child managed to enter the Exam without undertaking the preliminary exam. He wrote out _Tollushi_ , for his name. Neither of the pair knew the child’s birth-date, so the magician simply wrote the age 12. For the category: _Why do you want to become a Hunter?_ Hisoka wrote, “To meet powerful people.” He slid the paper back to the Chairman and the elder then asked,

“Alright, Tollushi, out of the other eight candidates, which one do you keep your eyes on the most?”

The boy pointed at Hisoka.

“I see. Last question, out of the eight candidates, which one would you least like to fight?”

Again, the child pointed at Hisoka. The magician was losing control over his blood lust, the thought of fighting the boy was too exciting for him.

“Thank you, you may leave now.” The elder replied.

Hisoka simply got up and walked to the door; however, Tollushi stood up and bowed his head to the Chairman before trailing after the magician. The pair would run into Gittarackur and spend the rest of their time before the Final Phase together.

The Chairman was faced with a dilemma, muttering to himself as he looked over his notes, “It’s more one-sided than I expected.” However, after giving it more thought, he completed his fighting bracket for the Final Exam.

The next day, the applicants left the airship and entered a hotel that the Hunter Association ran. The Chairman presented his fighting bracket to the group. Hanzo and Gon were set to battle first, whoever lost has to face Leorio. Whoever lost that battle would face Killua. Then Gittarackur. In the second tier, Hisoka and Kurapika were set to battle first. The loser would battle Tollushi. Then Bodoro.

Without further delay, Gon and Hanzo started the first match. Gon won, after he refusal to forfeit and Hanzo accepting the futility in changing the boy’s mind. Both Tollushi and Killua did not understand why Hanzo conceded when he was obviously the stronger. Killua asked, and Hanzo’s explanation made little sense to them.

Round two was a battle between Hisoka and Kurapika. However, after the two of them fought for a while, Hisoka forfeited his match after whispering something to Kurapika. The third match was Hanzo against Leorio. Leorio lost rather quickly, almost immediately actually. The fourth match was between Hisoka and Tollushi…

The referee explained that Tollushi had to raise his hand or tap twice to admit defeat. With that the ex-child soldier and the magician faced off. Tollushi curled his hands into fists and stood in proper Atruk fighting stance. A style Kurapika recognized. The referee announced the match and Hisoka disappeared with his speed. Tollushi waited, listening carefully for movement. An almost muted, sharp inhale of air told the boy that Hisoka was behind him. He turned to the side, dodging the fist that would have connected to his head. Using his own speed, Tollushi dodged the next punch and was able to turn and face Hisoka.

The magician then began a series of swiping and round-house kicks. Tollushi dodged and blocked all that he could. The child’s size and flexibility played a huge advantage in dodging Hisoka’s attacks. They paused in their match, Tollushi caught his breath and Hisoka tried to quell his pleasure. Hisoka could not wait for this child to grow up and become stronger. The man was enjoying their battle too much, after all it is hard for a sadist to truly hide his pleasure.

Tollushi was hurt. His body ached from all the dodges and blocks; however, it was temporary. All his pain was waived in favor of happiness. Which both were experiencing. The rush and thrill of battling a strong opponent consumed them.

Once more the two of the fought, Hisoka was distracted by Tollushi’s bouncing feet. A distraction that cost him. The boy landed a kick to Hisoka’s face, stunning him, which gave the boy another chance to round-house kick Hisoka. Tollushi delivered a fast set of kicks, hitting Hisoka’s shins, stomach, and face. The blows to his face caused his head to snap back and a punch to the stomach resulted in Hisoka falling over.

The child and man were smiling, the boy waited for Hisoka to get back up before the two of them resumed the match. Everyone in the room were stunned at what they were witnessing. A child was able to keep up with such a powerful man like Hisoka? The audience anticipated Tollushi’s early and easy defeat; however, they were all surprised by the boy’s combat ability. The Chairman, although surprised, did have some expectation for Tollushi’s potential after reviewing his Third Phase results, but it was not to this level.

Tollushi and Hisoka resumed their match, the pair dodged, blocked, and attacked with precise movements. However, Hisoka landed a powerful punch to Tollushi’s face, which sent the boy across the room. Exhaustion from facing off against such a powerful man in hand-to-hand combat began taking its toll. The magician saw the look in the boy’s eyes and understood that he had won. Tollushi raised his hand and the referee called the match.

The next match was Leorio versus Killua. Killua immediately forfeited, he did not think fighting against Leorio would be any fun. However, Tollushi fighting Bodoro was a one-sided match. The old man, although adept in combat, was no match for Tollushi’s agility and strength. Moreover, the man did not want to fight a child. Seeing his inevitable defeat, Bodoro forfeited while he still had minor bruises and most of his strength.

The match between Gittarackur and Killua revealed itself to be a match between Illumi and Killua. The elder brother quickly forced Killua to surrender with threats to kill his friends and reminding the boy of his assassin training. In the next match, Killua killed Bodoro. Creating the nullity of the fighting bracket and automatically making everyone else Hunters. Killua left and the rest of the participants awaited their orientation.

Everyone sat in the lecture room, awaiting the orientation to finish. Hisoka and Tollushi were sitting next to each other while Illumi sat in the front row. Gon walked into the room and headed straight for Illumi. The boy demanded that Illumi apologized to Killua; however, the older brother did not see what he should apologize for and told Gon as much. After Gon breaks Illumi’s arm with his strong grip, the boy demanded to go to where Killua was. Tollushi tuned out the rest of the conversation by occupying himself by playing with the Hunter’s book given to him.

Tollushi had no real understanding of the value of his Hunter’s License. He tried repeatedly to hand it over to Hisoka, thinking it was supposed to be a part of a deck. Hisoka quietly explained that he could use the card to get food. This information made the boy stop trying to give it to the magician.

After Illumi and Hisoka finish their discussion about Gon, Illumi picked up Tollushi. The assassin and magician long ago decided that Illumi would take Tollushi to the Zolydek estate to train under his father. All the while Illumi investigates Tollushi’s past or completes his missions with his new license. He then asked his rival,

“So, Hisoka. What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going to wait patiently…for the fruit to ripen.”

Illumi walked away, carrying Tollushi with him. The boy languidly waved goodbye to Hisoka. Illumi called his father and reported his successes. Explaining that he got his license, convinced Killua to return home, and will drop off his potential grandson to train under his guidance while Illumi investigates the matter. Silva is satisfied and proud of Illumi and what he accomplished. He responded he is looking forward to meeting Tollushi.


	7. Chapter 7

Illumi arrived with Tollushi shortly after Killua and his friends left the Zoldyck mansion. The elder was upset that his hard work to bring Kil home went to waste, but Silva reassured him that Killua would be back. Silva shifted his attention to Tollushi, who was being carried by his son.

“You must be Tollushi. I have another son who is about your age, though I think the two of you met during the Hunter’s Exam. He just left home with his friends, but he will be back someday.” Silva smiled to himself at that statement both continuing, “It is my understanding that you were raised with the Atruk Tribe during their warring period. You must be very strong to have survived. Tell me, did you learn the Atruk fighting style?”

Tollushi stared for a while, accessing the assassin before him. He sensed the strong power emanating from him and relished in it. His _Nen_ flared with his excitement.

“Tollushi?” Silva prompted, looking at the boy before casting a glance at Illumi.

The boy nodded his head and raised his arms in askance to be held by Silva. He wanted to be closer to the power that Silva radiated. It brought on an indescribable feeling to Tollushi. One he could not quite name, but felt like the time he was listening to Kuracisto talk to him or sleeping beside Besteca on the frontlines.

Silva laughed loudly at Tollushi’s silent request and took him from Illumi. The man had heard from his son that Tollushi enjoyed being held by those he perceived as powerful. He supposed it was an honor that Tollushi wanted to be closer to him, although it was a given that he was a powerful man. The other surprising thing was that Tollushi could sense Silva’s power despite his employment of _In_.

Tollushi unconsciously released his _Nen_ , unable to verbal express how much this pleased him. The pressure and sensation emanating from the child was not missed by the two assassins. They could tell that he was powerful even without his _Hatsu_. Tollushi once more grew sleepy and slept against Silva’s shoulder.

“Illumi, tell me does he grow exhausted like this often?”

“Yes, however it only seems to occur when he is being held by someone who has a _Nen_ ability. I theorize that it has to relate to his own ability or that he exhausted himself from detecting our concealed _Auras_.”

“Hmm, before starting his training I think it may be necessary to awake his all his _Aura_ nodes. He will have two separate training regiments, one for basic and the other for _Nen_.”

“Whatever you believe is best, father. I have to leave you now there are still things I need to investigate about Tollushi’s past.”

“Very well. Goodbye, Illumi.”

“Goodbye.”

Silva walked to the arranged room made for Tollushi when he came across Zeno.

“Is this my great-grandson?”

“Possibly, old man.”

“Hmm, he is strong. I would like to help in his training.”

Silva knew that it wasn’t a request, but nodded anyway. Tollushi awoke though while they were talking. The child looked at Zeno with his black eyes, searching for something neither men knew until the boy raised his arms and leaned closer to Zeno.

The old man let out a laugh. “Oh? Does my grandson want to be held by grandpa?”

Silva refused to accept the change of attention and flared his _Aura_. Tollushi returned his attention to Silva, but Zeno caught on to the little game and released his _Aura_. The child snapped his attention back Zeno, his own _Aura_ began to grow with the men’s. Silva and Zeno were engaged in an intense staring contest, neither wanted to admit defeat as the weaker _Nen_ user.

Tollushi started to laugh with joy, and the intensity of this battle only grew encouraged by the child’s enjoyment. However, the presence of Silva’s _Aura_ awoke the rest of Tollushi’s _A_ _ura_ nodes. Suddenly, Silva and Zeno felt as though they were being drained of their _Aura_. They noticed that the child was using _Ren_ and possibly his _Hatsu_.

“My, what a powerful child. I believe not even Illumi was this strong at his age.” Zeno commented, both men were slowly concealing their _Aura_.

“He was raised by the Atruk Tribe while they were at war with the Kurta Clan.”

At the mention of the Kurta, Tollushi emitted his bloodlust. It rivaled Illumi’s and the elder assassins both knew it.

“Ah, forgive him child. Silva was not watching his words.” Zeno placated, “Tell me, which one of us was more powerful. Hmm?”

“That’s right Tollushi, which one of us is more powerful? Just point to tell us.”

Unsure of how to answer, Tollushi pointed at both of them. Zeno first and then Silva. Both men laughed and silently swore to train more. With the matter settled and the excitement over, Tollushi began to nodded off. Silva entered his arranged bedroom and placed the child in the bed.

Tollushi made a noise of discomfort though, he did not like the bed. Silva and Zeno shared a look and summoned a butler to replace the bed. While the butlers were fixing the sleeping arrangement, Tollushi instead requested to be put down by Silva. The man complied and Tollushi walked over to a wall. He sat down with his back leaning against the wall and fell asleep.

It did not take long for Silva and Zeno to figure out why the child did not like the bed after this. _It was too soft for a child of war to sleep on_. Their anger grew at this, imagining Killua or Illumi growing up in such a manner as their possible grandson. The butlers replaced the bed and the assassins left the room to leave the child to sleep. In the morning, they would explain Tollushi’s new schedule.

The morning came soon enough, and a butler led Tollushi to the dining room. Zeno, Silva, Kikyo, Milluki, and Kalluto were seated around the table and an empty chair was next to Kalluto. The butler helped Tollushi into his chair and with that breakfast began. Silva introduced the other members of the Zoldyck family to the boy.

“Kalluto, help Tollushi with his utensils.” Silva said.

“Yes, Father.”

Kalluto guided Tollushi’s hands around the fork and showed him how to stab his food with it.

“Wait, this brat can’t figure out how to hold a fork?” Milluki asked.

“Tollushi has likely never needed to use a fork before, he grew up during a war in a poor tribe. He is more powerful than you Milluki so watch your words.” Silva glared at his son.

“O-of course, s-sorry Papa.”

With that breakfast resumed and Tollushi practiced using a fork on his precut fruit and pancakes. Afterwards, Silva, Zeno, and Kikyo requested to speak with Tollushi. The boy stayed behind while Milluki and Kalluto left to room. The adults and the child made their way to an indoor training room and Silva spoke up,

“Tollushi, today we will start your training program. However, we would like to access your skills before we make a definite schedule. Would you be willing to demonstrate your fighting ability to us in a spar?”

Tollushi nodded, he had energy to burn anyway. The butler from before appeared again, and Tollushi attacked without listening to the rules. Hand-to-hand combat was not Tollushi’s specialty, but the child was still a master combatant. The butler was unprepared for such immense speed and strength that he was knocked out by Tollushi’s first punch.

Kikyo was overjoyed at Tollushi’s cruelty. She was upset by the temporary loss of Killua, but Illumi’s possible son and Kalluto would be enough to assuage her heart. She noted that the child was powerful like Illumi, but lacked his refinement.

Silva laughed heartily at the scene before him. He had underestimated Tollushi and could not be more satisfied with his mistake. He wanted to see if the child was strong, and the boy proved that he was.

Zeno laughed alongside his son, _what a strong child! He is at least as powerful as Killua_. The old man thought.

“Tollushi, that was great. Are you proficient in weapons as well?”

He nodded.

“Good. Choose your weapons from that wall over there, you’ll fight another butler once you do.”

Tollushi walked over to the weapons wall and found two katanas of equal length. Weapons in hand, the boy returned and faced a different butler, this one held two metal tonfas. His bloodlust grew at the sight of one of the Kurta Clan’s signature weapon. Before Silva could announce the rules or beginning of the match, Tollushi attacked.

This butler was prepared for the preemptive strike, and blocked the two blades. After his failed attack, Tollushi jumped away, standing at a distance for a moment before disappearing. He reappeared behind the butler, aiming high with one blade and low with the other. Unable to turn around fast enough, the butler could only block one attack. He chose to protect his neck and suffered a debilitating cut to the back of his left leg.

Before the butler could launch his own attack, Tollushi disappeared. The butler tensed and looked around for his opponent, who suddenly appeared in front of him. The man blocked the attack with his tonfas once more; however, the child’s strength was too much, and the butler’s leg crumpled under the weight of the attack. A fatal mistake, as Tollushi broke past his faltered defense and sliced his artery.

“Well done, Tollushi.” Silva praised before the body even hit the floor.

“Indeed, I have seen more than enough to create his training regime.” Zeno commented.

Kikyo agreed, crying tears of joy at the child’s efficiency in battle. He was so much like Illumi when he was younger.

“Now then Tollushi, do you know what _Nen_ is?” Silva asked, and when Tollushi did not respond he continued, “ _Nen_ is the usage of one’s _Aura_. There are four principles to Nen, there are also types of _Nen_ , and four additional techniques. You will be learning all of them while training in refining your combat skills. In addition, you will also be learning basic necessities and survival skills such as speaking, reading, and writing.”

Tollushi did not understand but he nodded anyway.

“You will alternate training with each of us and afterwards you will attend lessons to learn life skills. Before we start that, we are going to test your _Nen_ type with a water divination test. Channel your _Aura_ into your hands and place them around the glass. You will learn more about what this means later.”

Tollushi complies, unsure if he is doing it right but Silva made no move to correct him. Suddenly the water started to disappear and reappear in his right hand while the leaf appeared in his left. The water dripped down his right hand as he continued to channel his _Aura_ into his hands. The Zoldyck elders were surprised to see that Tollushi was a Specialist.

“That’s enough now, Tollushi. Thank you. Your _Nen_ type is a Specialist, which is quite rare. You will train in it at a later time, for now we will begin your lessons in reading and speaking.”

Zeno left after that, not wanting to sit through the rest of the child’s lesson. Kikyo also left to return to Kalluto. Silva and Tollushi entered the lesson room where the Zoldyck children were educated. He grabbed the basic alphabet book and placed Tollushi of his lap. From there he read the letter in the book and the word association, requesting that Tollushi mimic what he says.

Over the next few months, Tollushi learns. He learns refinement in his hand-to-hand and dual blade wielding. He learns to read, write, and speak. Although his speech is limited to simple sentences, it is a vast improvement from what he could originally do. He even learns about fashion and hair styling from Kikyo. It brought Silva indescribable amount of joy that Tollushi’s first word (that were his own and not mimicry) was “Silva”.

He learns _Ten_ , _Zetsu_ , _Ren_ , _Gyo_ , _In_ , and _Hatsu_. He still has yet to master _En_ , _Shu_ , _Ken_ , _Ko_ , and _Ryu_ though. However, his primary focus has been centered around his _Nen_ ability. Silva and Zeno had explained that his _Nen_ ability is to absorb powers from others, usually temporarily as his victims naturally regain their lost powers, but he can absorb a power permanently. Though the victim still regains their lost powers.

Silva and Zeno hypothesize that because Tollushi wants a person’s strength and power for protection, that is why his _Nen_ ability siphons others. The elders also figured out the applications, requirements, and limitations of Tollushi’s _Nen_ :

Applications

  * _Aura_ _Drain_ – victims temporarily loses their _Nen_ ability due to depletion of _Aura_ , symptoms can be minor, exhaustion, to fatal, death. Tollushi shows involuntary control over this ability, as he has passively drained _Aura_ from those standing close to him, non-fatally.
  * _Siphoning_ – the _Nen_ abilities of victims are siphoned. It can be permanent or temporary depending on Tollushi’s decision.
  * _Archiving_ – the victims’ _Nen_ abilities are stored away in a book that contains pictures* of the victim’s face.



*(Silva theorized it is a photo as opposed to written description of power because he still struggles to read, but his ability to memorize people and things is genius-level)

Limits

  * He is limited to how many abilities he can permanently absorb.
  * Siphoning and Archiving may be fatal because his body might not be as strong as the victims, which would have adapted to their _Nen_ since birth.
  * If one of the victims whose power is Archived dies, then Tollushi can no longer use their abilities.
  * Despite his substantial _Aura_ reserves, Tollushi using more than one siphoned ability is dangerous and requires time in between uses, at least 15-30 minutes. Should he try for anything faster, it could result in headaches, nosebleeds, lung damage, and _Aura_ node damage.
  * Despite the powers being absorbed from the victims, the powers will still have every single limitation that the abilities possess. They do not progress or develop like they do with the victim unless Tollushi once more steals their ability.



Requirements

  * He must see the victim’s Nen ability with his eyes.
  * He must see the victim’s face with his eyes.
  * He must touch the victim’s body with his hands.
  * All of these requirements must happen within an hour for Siphoning and Archiving to be a success



One day when Tollushi was training with Kikyo and Kalluto, Silva and Zeno entered the room. They announced that Tollushi would accompany them to York New and meet with Illumi there. The elders also had assassin business there, but they would leave that part out. With the decision made, Tollushi said goodbye the remaining Zoldycks and joined Silva and Zeno on the airship, much to Tollushi’s chagrin.


	8. Chapter 8

The trio arrived at York New. They were hired as guards and assassins for the new auction. Not that Tollushi was aware of any of this. He was simply following Silva and Zeno as they walked into the building to meet their client. Silva knocked on the door.

“Come in,” a gruff voice replied, “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. It looks like everyone is here.”

“No, not yet.” One of the hired mafia guards spoke up.

“What? I thought the team only had eight members.”

“Light Nostrade is sending an additional person.”

“The guy who uses that voodoo fortune-telling? Then who’s the kid?”

“He is none of your concern. You won’t be paying him for his services so do not worry.” Was all Zeno said and it seemed to appease their contract holder.

Zeno and Silva sat on the two stools provided and Tollushi stood next to Silva. Just then Nostrade and Kurapika entered the room. All the assassins and mafia members of the auction stared in assessment. Kurapika and Tollushi recognized each other from their trials during the Hunter’s Exam. A minute nod was shared between the two as they made eye contact.

“Then, has everyone arrived?” The man who hired them addressed to group, “The job is to annihilate the Phantom Troupe. When the auction kicks off again, they may show up. If they do, then dispose of them. You’re free to use any means you want.”

One of the hired assassins spoke up, “So, this team will be after the same target? We should decide how we address each other when communicating.”

“Just use colors.” The one next to him spoke up, “Call me Blue.”

“I’ll be Red.” The man wearing a mask said.

Zeno smiled to himself, “It’s like playing a game, isn’t it?”

“Hmm? What about you?” The first assassin asked.

“Silva.” The Zoldyck announced.

“I’m Zeno.”

“Zeno? What color is that?”

“We will be using our real names.” Zeno replied.

“What?” Blue asked.

“You’re welcome to call me by name, but I won’t take orders. We’ll do this our own way.”

Realization struck one of the assassins, “Silva and Zeno…Of the Zoldyck family?”

“Let me know if you want someone killed. I’m willing to give you a 30 percent discount for being in the same line of work.” Zeno told the group.

Tollushi noted the shift in Kurapika’s stance upon the announcement of the Zoldyck’s identity.

“Does it really matter?” Another assassin spoke up, “What we call one another?”

“Agreed.” The one next to muttered, “There’s no requirement that we work together.”

“But we’re talking about the Troupe. Attacking alone will be dangerous.”

“And you?” A man asked Kurapika

“Shaky teamwork will only cause confusion. I will move alone.” The Kurta replied.

“It’s five to four. There you go.” The group would work by themselves.

Sensing the end of their discussion the mafia leader spoke up, “The auction begins at nine. We will transport you to the auction hall. Please wait here until it’s time.”

The Zoldycks and Tollushi did not wait long. They all sensed the _Nen_ being used in the Cemetery Building; however, they remained listening to the mafia dons and elite members complain. It was only when one of the mafia members criticized them that Silva backhanded the wall behind him, right above where Tollushi stood. The boy woke up from his nap, and tiredly surveyed the auction members before him.

“My name is Zeno Zoldyck.” Zeno paused to let the information sink in, “At the moment one bandit has infiltrated this building. He has killed a number of assassins that were hired by your people. Even if you were fully armed, it would take me just under seven seconds to kill the lot of you. The enemy is every bit as capable. If you understand, then just shut up and wait. If you would rather die, then that’s a whole other story.”

The three left the room. Tollushi remained with Silva when Zeno left to scout the rest of the area where a dead body remained. Silva and Tollushi assessed the dead body before them.

“Well?” Zeno asked when he returned.

“A single strike from behind. Beautiful.” Tollushi hummed his agreement at Silva’s words, “His presence was only exposed for a brief instant, and barely a trace remains.”

Zeno sighed, “I suppose I’ll have to use _En_. It’s an exhausting technique. Let’s start from the roof and make our way down.”

The trio ascended up a staircase while Silva surmised the building’s schematics, “This building’s radius is 100 meters. Will you be okay, old man?”

“You fool, I could handle three times that. One thing is certain, this job is hardly worth the pay. Tollushi, I want you to use your Nen ability on this bandit, is that understood?”

“Yes.”

Soon after, they tracked the _Nen_ user to an unused ballroom. There on the stage stood a man dressed in a black suit with a red tie. He wore a green wrapping around his forehead and had one hand in his pocket. Tollushi activated his _Nen_ , and two of his requirements were met, now all he needed was a chance to touch the man and see his ability.

“We meet again?” The bandit finally spoke.

“You still remember me?” Silva replied.

“How could I forget? You killed one of my people.”

“It was difficult. Careful, old man. Tollushi. He can steal your techniques. Tollushi, survey from the side for now.”

And in a burst of speed, the fight commenced. Tollushi waited at the doors, watching with fascination at the man’s fighting abilities. They were incredible. He dodged Silva’s opening kick and then Zeno’s lethal hand swipes, but one nicked his cheek. Jumping away from Zeno’s attacks, the man unwittingly fell into Silva’s attack. He blocked Silva’s punch with his forearms, only to face an attack from Zeno’s _En_. The man laid on the floor for a moment, only to roll away from Silva’s stomp, that would have crushed him. The man pulled out a knife after rolling away, and then immediately swiped at Silva. The blade cut the assassin’s arm before he could jump to safety.

The men surveyed their situation. The bandit appeared tired from fighting the two men. Silva assessed the knife and surmised that it must be poisoned. Zeno stood beside his son. However, what the bandit failed to realize was Tollushi had moved away from the door. He stood behind their target, undetected from his use of _Zetsu_. In an instant, the boy touched the man’s back and activated his _Hatsu_. The target immediately realized his error and tried to attack the boy with the knife. However, he was too late as Tollushi had already made his escape.

“Well done, Tollushi.” Zeno praised, “Tell me was is it permanent or temporary?”

“Temporary. Too much _Aura_. Anymore and I would hurt myself.”

“Did you manage to Archive his abilities?”

“Ah.”

“Well done.”

The man observed the scene before him, he grew angry at his carelessness for forgetting about the child’s presence. _What did the child do? I can feel myself recovering from it already_. The man wondered, _I felt drained for a moment and then…there is no way that the boy could do this unless…_

“Hmm, you are strong.” Zeno said, and continued to ignore the bandit’s question, “So, you can steal other people’s _Nen_? You must be a Specialist. I would consider you a threat if you could use those stolen powers freely. However, you must have taken some risks to take on those abilities. A technique that strong must have its drawbacks. My guess is that you must clear four or five conditions before stealing an ability. It will be difficult to clear those conditions while you fight us. Meaning that you won’t be able to steal our abilities while we fight. Your use of a poisoned knife as a deterrent is proof of that.”

The trio observed as the man put away his knife and activated his _Nen_.

“Silva, I will need your support. Tollushi, recover and keep out of the way. You have done your part. Silva, once I have him locked in place, kill him, even if you have to kill me with him.”

“Understood.”

The assassins and Tollushi were all surprised to see the bandit summon a book with a handprint on the cover. It paralleled the child’s _Nen_ ability; however the difference being that he did not need to hold the book while using the stolen ability. He could just conjure the album of photos and choose that person’s stolen _Nen_. All of Tollushi’s requirements were met in that moment and he conjured his own copy of the handprint book.

As the boy flipped through the pages, he struggled to read most of what was written. He has only just learned the _Runic script_ and was much better at _kana_.

The boy muttered out loud, knowing that he would be heard by everyone in the room; however all the adults were busy fighting, “It’s in _Runes_.”

“That is too bad, Tollushi.” Silva spoke as he pursued his target, “We only just finished going over the _runes_ corresponding _kana_. You’ll have to use this ability some other time then.”

“Mhm.”

Zeno then succeeded in pinning the man to the wall and Silva transmuted his _Aura_ into his attack. The explosion shook the building to its very foundations. (Unknown to the group, the auction attendees grew frantic, unsure of what was going on until one of the guards of the Ten Dons reassured them. Thus began the auction).

While the dust settled and Zeno and the man unearthed themselves from the rubble, Silva answered a phone call from Illumi.

“Illumi?”

“Yes. Where is my client?”

“Right here.”

“Oh? Were you fighting? Is he still alive? Well, please relay a message. I’ve killed the Ten Dons. Tell him to wire the money to my account as agreed.”

Zeno grunted upon standing, and turned to address his former target, “Good grief. It seems that the both of us get to live another day.”

“Aren’t you supposed to kill me?”

“We were hired by the Ten Dons. Now that they’re all dead, you are no longer our target.”

“Really?” That’s surprising. You won’t get another chance like this.”

“Perhaps, but do you really believe that we kill for pleasure? We don’t do this for fun. I refuse to work for nothing as well as die for nothing.”

“Did you know that I hired Illumi to assassinate the Ten Dons?”

“Of course, but that’s irrelevant. We simply do the job we’re hired for.”

“I see. Say, can I ask you something?”

“If you and I were to fight one-on-one, who would win?

“Most likely, I would. Unless you decide to actually try to kill me. Honestly, you’re an insolent brat.”

“One more thing, I would like to hire that boy over there for the night.” The bandit added on, “He will be returned unharmed and I will not steal his powers.”

“Very well. Transfer the money to the same account. Tollushi, remain here with this man until tomorrow.” With that Silva and Zeno exited the room.

The man immediately collapsed backwards and exclaimed, “What a drag! I couldn’t even steal their powers.”

The boy watched with tired interest before returning his attention to the stolen _Nen_ book.

“What is your name, boy? You may call me Kuroro or client.”

“…Tollushi.”

“Tell me, what is your Nen ability?”

The boy looked up from Kuroro’s _Nen_ book. He contemplated how to explain something like that to him. Tollushi opted for his next option and conjured his _Nen_ book that archived the siphoned abilities. Then he threw the book to Kuroro, who sat up to catch it. When he opened the book, what he saw were photos of people and their Nen ability, not a single written description. _He must have an incredible memorization skill, if he can clone another person’s Nen without the need of a written summary of what it was. Impressive. Why is it so similar to my own abilities though?_ Kuroro tossed the book back to the child, who then resumed trying to decipher the text.

Suddenly the doors to the destroyed ballroom opened and in poured ten other members of the Phantom Troupe before Kuroro could ask the boy more questions.

“It looks like you had fun, Leader.” The giant man with stitches spoke to Kuroro, “You okay?”

“I’m a little tired now.”

“You _were_ up against the Zoldyck family.” A blond man in a purple suit commented.

“I wish I could’ve seen how those two fought you.” A girl in black pondered.

“Fighting would be more fun than watching,” whispered a short man dressed in a high-collared cloak.

“Kortopi,” Kuroro addressed a member of the Troupe, “is everything ready?”

“Of course. I can’t make living copies. But I can provide static copies”

“That’s good enough. Then, we’ll stick to the plan. Also…don’t touch the ambulance that girl is in.”

Tollushi’s attention snapped from the book to Hisoka, upon sensing him. The boy immediately got up and made his way to the magician.

“…Hisoka.” Tollushi muttered.

“Hmm~” The man looked at the child with curiosity, “My, how you’ve grown. You’ve even learned to communicate.”

Tollushi raised his arms up in askance, and Hisoka sighed but still gave in.

Kuroro looked surprised at the scene before him. “Tollushi,” he said, catching the boy’s attention, “Who is your mother?”

The child did not answer. Instead, they turned their head to look around the room, surveying the Troupe members he previously ignored.

“Child. Answer me. Who is your mother?”

Tollushi continued to assess the other members, before returning his gaze to Hisoka. The magician was the most amused by the situation.

“Hisoka, why won’t he answer me? Do you know who his mother is?”

“Hmm? I have no idea who his mother is. Surely, you would know?”

“Pakunoda,” Kuroro said sharply, “Search the child’s memories. Tollushi, do not resist her.”

The woman moved to the pair and right before she touches the child, Hisoka pulled the child slightly away.

“Ah-ah. I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Why is that, Hisoka?” Pakunoda asked.

“Oh well, I guess it wouldn’t be any fun if I ruined the surprise. You’ll find out why shortly.”

Pakunoda touches the boy’s temples. The rest of the Phantom Troupe stood there waiting; however the woman and the boy experienced something much more graphic. Pakunoda and the child relived and watched countless war horrors the child experienced.

 _She was standing in a battlefield, mangled corpses and weapons surrounded them. She looked to see her opponent, she stared into their scarlet red eyes._ Impossible…Why would a child know something like this? Unless, he was with the Atruk while they were warring with the Kurtas.

_As the memory played out, she watched as the boy appeared and launched his own attacks. He wielded two katanas and struck down his enemies with expert precision. Blood sprayed from his enemies’ wounds, and started drenching the boy. The men surround her were all screaming and screeching, from fatal wounds or as a battle cry. The hiss of metal hitting metal, the snapping of bones or spears or arrows all echoed in her ears._

_Pakunoda began to grow ill at the horrid site before her. This child not only witnessed the hellish battlefield of war, but fought as a soldier. She watched as he mercilessly cut down countless Kurta members._ No wonder there were so few left when the Troupe attacked _. She watched, listened, and could smell everything gory thing happening around her._

This isn’t what I wanted to see. Boy, show me more of your past. _Then the memory changed. They were standing in a makeshift infirmary, and he sat next to a bloodied man who was close to death. Their last conversation about what motivated to boy to fight, and he pointed at the food supply. Then another memory shifted the scenery around them. He was sitting next to an elder man, listening to him mutter away about medicines._

_Until the memory changed, and they got closer to what she wanted to see, Pakunoda watched as a starved and small child was cradled in the arms of a vagabond who was begging for help. Then it shift to the child walking in the desert until he collapsed._

_Then they were there. In Meteor City of all places. The trash dump of a city that she once called home. That Leader once called home. The memories that this place brought to mind where enough to make Pakunoda sick, but she focused on her task. The boy was cradled in his mother’s lap. She was a woman who bore a similar appearance to Leader. She had fine black hair, though it was incredibly matted and greasy presently. The woman had black eyes like the boy’s and also a pale complexion, sickly even. She was humming an unknown lullaby which was interrupted by an elderly woman yelling,_

_“Takara! If you are planning on abandoning Kumoro, then just go already!”_

Pakunoda broke the Psychometry after hearing what she needed, and promptly turned her head aside to vomit. The very memory of Meteor City was sickening.

“Paku!” The other Troupe members cried out.

“I’m fine. Leader, it’ll be better if I show you what I saw, then to summarize.”

The man nodded, and the bullet pierced his skin. For a second time that night someone else relived the darkest moments of the ex-child soldier.

He sharply inhaled after it was over. His anger and bloodlust seeped out of him. Making Hisoka struggle to contain himself.

“That was the Atruk Tribe, wasn’t it?” Kuroro asked.

“Yes.” The child replied.

“They were at war with the Kurta Clan. Child, you are looking at the man who wiped out the entire clan.”

This was news to him, as he never did find out why the war ended. In fact, it was probably the greatest way for Kuroro to introduce himself to the boy. After all, the childish desire for safety and protection went into over drive at the presence of the man who ended the war that Besteca died in, that he nearly died in.

“I am Kuroro Lucilfer…your father. You are my child. Your mother was a woman named Takara. You were named Kumoro.”

The members of the Phantom Troupe gasped in shock at this new information. All wondering how this could be possible.

“Hisoka, put me down.” The child said.

The magician complied and the child slowly walked to Kuroro, who was sitting on a bunch of ruins. The child sensed the power radiating off of him, and he immediately climbed onto his lap. Feeling safe in his arms and presence the child rested his head on Kuroro’s shoulder. Kuroro was once again surprised by the child; however, he did not do anything to stop him. He simply wrapped his arms around the boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT! Read this:
> 
> For those who are going, "WTF? I thought he was Illumi's child?" Well, tough. I only ever said one definite thing in that regard, and it was through Hisoka.  
> "You remind me of a rival of mine" was what he said.
> 
> I never specified which rival and Kuroro and Illumi bear a lot of similarities that I found such joy in messing with all of you.
> 
> Anyway, this was my story idea. What happens next is up to you. I imagine the whole Kurapika vs. Kuroro playing out as is, but Kumoro joining his father on his hunter for a Nen exorcist. Illumi gets a chance to talk to Kumoro whilst disguised as Hisoka and asked if the boy planned on returning to the Zoldyck mansion. He declines to remain with his father. 
> 
> (Has anyone noticed yet that Kurta written backwards is Atruk?)
> 
> I had the time of my life trying to come up with Kumoro's real name. In fact, I wanted to name this fic Kumoro, but I felt like that would give away my plans.
> 
> Also the initial idea was that Kumoro would gain a Nen ability that would pair with Hisoka's, giving him the nickname "The Alchemist." But my ideas changed as I wrote. 
> 
> Any way, sorry to disappoint you if you aren't satisfied, but I was honest about this being a story idea in the tags. (If you are so disappointed, write a better one lol)

**Author's Note:**

> This should be interesting...


End file.
